benj005

He's African. I feel that this is going to put this teacher at a huge disadvantage if this girl decides to press charges.

 
It would have to be the girls parents pressing charges, and they would lose face with the school since, according to what we have read here, said "school" has decided not to press charges(support the parents) and dismiss the teacher. There is also the question about the foreigner being legally employed etc.. Exposure of an illegal worker at the school etc. may play a role in it all. Something seems wrong with this story because I just don't see Thai's allowing an African male hit "in the face" a young Thai girl at a school. The OP now tells us he didn't see the act so we are into second hand versions. 

African or not, hitting a student is inexcusable in today's climate. You just don't do it because it's been found to be ineffective.

Behavior management is an important component in teaching today.

Not going to happen. Never seen a crackdown like this. But salary haven't risen in my 16 years here. Shortages of teachers come and go. Salaries stay the same. Plenty of schools get rid of experienced teachers when their salary gets too high or they're too old.
Young, handsome / pretty and cheap- works for 8 out of 10 schools. Bodies in classes.

I understand what your saying, but haven't rules gone in effect that foreign teachers now need a bachelors or a teacher's license to teach in Thailand? Add in the new strict visa rules and I can see a HUGE shortage of foreign teachers. With ASEAN on the horizon I feel that this is going to put pressure on the government to raise English scores. I was told by a few Thais that Thai English scores were abysmal.

I just got here so I don't have your experience. This is all just speculation on my part.

No issues with the extension, TM7 form and 1900 baht.

You won't have a problem doing a visa run to activate your second entry at the expiration of the extension. They are currently lookingg at back to back visa exempt entries. Although some of the crossings in the south seem to have their own agenda!

I'm going to need a form for the extension? I will download the form this week. Thanks.

That's good to hear about the extension. Hopefully, I can find work so I won't need to do it. Thanks.

I'm confused like most other people.

I'm on a double entry visa. My two months are up Aug 17th. I plan to go to immigration on Friday to get the one month extension. I have never done this before so I don't have 5 years worth of extensions/visa runs on my passport. I don't see an issue with the one month extension.

On to the visa run. I just started the process of finding work in Bangkok as a teacher. I was going to South Korea in September but my job fell thru. Yes, I have a teacher license from America. I spent the last two years teaching in South Korea. If I can't find employment I may need to do the visa run.

Are visa runs not allowed anymore, or are they not allowed for people who have been abusing the system? This is the first time that I'm going to attempt a visa run. Hopefully, I can find a job so I won't have to do it.

Thanks.

He's African. I feel that this is going to put this teacher at a huge disadvantage if this girl decides to press charges.

First, let's discuss the visa crackdown. The big complaint with a lot of foreign teachers who teach in Thailand is the pay. I feel that the pay is kept low because of the backpackers. They visit Thailand and decide to teach to make a few baht. This is keeping teacher wages artificially low. When the visa rules go into effect this will have to end.

Now to ASEAN. I don't know much about this so hopefully someone can clear this up for me. By next year SE Asian countries are going to open their borders in an effort to boost the economy. Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, and Burma are going to be competing for foreign dollars. Speaking English is going to be very important, so there is going to be an all out effort on the SE governments to ramp up English in their school system. Thais haven't fared that well so hopefully the government will see this and take the appropriate steps so every student can speak English fluently. If not, then the other countries will get development dollars and Thailand will be left out in the cold.

The visa crackdown plus ASEAN will put pressure on the Thai schools to keep foreign teachers. Add in the need for a bachelors degree/teacher license and there will be a huge shortage of qualified educators. In turn, salaries are going to increase. Maybe even comparable to South Korea and Japan.

Thoughts?

I worked at a school in South Korea called International Language School. It was an international school in name only. It wasn't an accredited school with real teachers. It was OK for what it was. I was the only teacher with an actual teacher certificate.

I believe a real international would lose accreditation if they hired someone without the proper certs.

I see a lot of issues in your short stay in Thailand. You have no degree and the government is going to be cracking down on people like you.

Maybe your athletic build and cute looks will play well in prison.

I've heard that Belgium jails are actually pretty decent. I wish I was a Belgium citizen. :(

I'm in Bangkok and I have a little cough.

Ebola?!?!?!?!?

So benj ... what did you eventually do?
.

Today's the day. Were leaving in a few hours by Taxi. But I told her we are going back by bus.

Do they hitchhike in Thailand? :)

Who is this kid? 

 

You wouldn't recommend it? I've taught in South Korea for two years. I also have a teacher's degree. I knpw the pay sucks. I guess I'd like to stay because I have a Thai girlfriend.

Thanks.

you should ask.....why would japan need a thaigirl  does she have special skills japan girls dont have?  months @ a time-sounds fishy.    She one of those high tech engineers?  Thai girl who go overseas months @ a time raises big red flags.   JUST SAYIN........................thai girls...you know!

 

 

You gf could be wanting what her sis has.

 

 

 

Anyways-solution to your problem.   You pay you go by bus-best deal in bkk.   She pay-you go by taxee.

 

She works for an international company.  I don't know what she does .  

 

We have Thai college students who come to America to work at McDonalds. Anybody can work at a fast food place, so why are they hiring college kids from Thailand?  

Right!

 

Last time I got a mini bus, had about 2cm leg room, the driver drove like a psychopath, and we was surrounded by Russians shouting out Russian all the way, it was the worst journey ever.... plus as other have pointed out you have to mess around getting taxi`s and missioning to the bus station so all in all its worth the extra for me.

 

For 1000bhat you wouldn't even get a taxi in London for 2 miles for that, think of it that way might make you feel better.

 

Then again, if you've been rinsing money too much recently, hop on a bus and grin and bear it. Either way, you don't need to ask on here about if your birds right or wrong only you decide that, if your spending too much then put your foot down.

 

Of course taxis are cheaper in Thailand. I've taken 3-4 hour rides from Bangkok to Korat to see my girlfriend's mother and it was always 1000 baht one way. That's $32 USD. Compare that to a taxi ride I took back home in America. I took a 15 minute taxi ride to get some items. The cost was $24. If I need to take the taxi I guess I will remind myself of the trip I took in America.

 

I wanted to take a train but my girlfriend told me they don't have a train that runs from Bangkok to Pattaya.  :(

In the past, you could extend the visa the same day it expires. The second entry shouldn't be a problem. Just hit a border, turn around, and come back. Or go somewhere for a few days.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

 

Would you suggest I do it a few days before the deadline? 

 

Sounds great about the second entry. Hopefully I can find a teaching position before the extension runs out on my first visa stay. \

 

Thanks. 

My Visa is due August 17th.

 

Should I get the extension a day or two before the 17th? 

 

Thanks.

I guess I'm asking this because I don't know what to expect. I have a double entry tourist visa which was given to me in New York. I've been in Thailand for nearly two months. I 'm going to extend my stay for another month.  Now I plan to find a teaching job in Thailand. I had a job lined up in South Korea in September but it fell through. I'm going to need the time to find work so this is why i'm extending it for another month. What questions can I expect?  

 

Now, if I cant find work within the month I was going to do a visa run to start my second visa stay. I've never done this before. I don't know what to expect now. It seems that the Thai government is really serious about cracking down on foreigners. 

 

Any tips would be appreciated.  Thanks. 

"In Korea any degree will do as long as you have your TEFL. It doesn't have to be in education. Obviously if you have a degree in education you're going to stand out and be in a much better position. Its not a requirement unless you want yo go the international route. Heck, I have a buddy in South Korea and he landed a position at a Christian International School and he doesn't even have a teachers license. His degree is in photography."

 

First of all Korea doesn't require a TEFL for the visa. If you were one of the masses who got hired for the public school jobs between 2006-2012 a TEFL gave you a higher salary but wasn't originally a requirement It became mandatory for public school jobs in 2010 if you didn't have other credentials.

 

Thailand has made it mandatory to have a degree in education as a requirement for the teacher's license.

 

"I've read that there are a lot of people here who don't even have a college degree. I've also read that a lot of criminals come to Thailand to teach because the Thai system is lacking. This could never happen in other countries."

 

HAHA of course it happens in other countries. Why do you think that Korea made it mandatory to have an FBI check back in 2008? There were a few major arrests in 2007-2008.

 

Korea though goes to the extreme and any record at all prohibits you from getting a job. In my opinion getting arrested for an OUI or a minor offense back in college/high school really shouldn't keep you from being a teacher but in Korea it does.

 

Thailand requires a CBC but state checks are accepted. China also requires a CBC now but they never used to in the past. 

 

 

Having a degree in education isn't enough to get an international school job anymore. You need to have experience, license and ability.

 

 

True, South Korea doesn't require a TEFL for a working visa. I still think this is true in hagwons. I've met a few people who didn't have their TEFL certificates and they were teaching. This was in 2012. 

 

The comprehensive FBI background check was mandatory because pedophiles were crossing state lines, claiming residency and applying for teaching positions in South Korea. If someone committed a crime in  New Jersey they could simply go into Pennsylvania and claim residency. When a background check was completed they would have a clean record. In reality, they should never have been around young children. I shouldn't have said that it would never happen in other countries. My fault.

 

About International Schools...

 

It depends on the international school. If the school is a top tier International school it's going to be difficult to secure a position unless you have the track record plus the many certs that they are looking for. On the other hand there are a lot of 3rd tier International Schools who become a bit desperate and their requirements are less strict. My buddy doesn't even have a teacher's license, and he has only taught in hagwons. He has never taught in a public school in America. I know most International schools want at least 2 years experience from a western accredited school. Hagwons normally don't count. I have another buddy who has taught mainly in hagwons, and he's teaching in an International school in China. You never know.   

It does not matter what degree or paper you have got if you don't speak Thai you can't teach  a Thai person English,,,,You can't explain and they don't understand,,,That is the main reason that Thai students know F

This is totally untrue. I've worked in a public school setting with s real ESL teacher who had a real degree and she didn't speak Spanish.

I've taught in South Korea for 2 years and I didn't speak Korean.

My girl is watching too many Korean dramas to even care. :(

A bachelors degree doesn't cut it anymore? I have a bachelors in special education with certs in kindergarten. Do all teachers need master degrees?

In Korea any degree will do as long as you have your TEFL. It doesn't have to be in education. Obviously if you have a degree in education you're going to stand out and be in a much better position. Its not a requirement unless you want yo go the international route. Heck, I have a buddy in South Korea and he landed a position at a Christian International School and he doesn't even have a teachers license. His degree is in photography.

The fire challenge has gripped America. A lot of teens are doing it hoping that they become internet famous. The fire challenge goes like this. You pour nail polish remover on your bare chest and light yourself on fire. It's normally done near a bathtub or pool so if the fire gets out of hand they can extinguish it quickly. A lot of times the fire burns quickly, and the teens who do this stunt get 2nd and 3rd degree burns.  

 

Are Thai teens engaging in this stunt?  If not, do they do reckless things like American teens?  

 

     

Do you carry your lipstick in it?

J/k... I actually like them.

I get my girlfriend to carry my extras. I don't carry much though. My smartphone and wallet stay in my pocket. If I need to bring my passport and retainer case for my teeth my girl will carry the items in her pocketbook.

What happens if you get drunk and lose your bag? Or what happens if someone grabs it and makes a run for it?